Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 3].
comparative adjective. His baptism is water baptism, but the
Coming One "will baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire." "Life in
the coming age is in the sphere of the Spirit. Spirit and fire
are coupled with one preposition as a double baptism" (McNeile).
Broadus takes "fire" in the sense of separation like the use of
the fan. As the humblest of servants John felt unworthy to take
off the sandals of the Coming One. About \bastaz•\ see on ¯Mt
8:17.
3:12 {Will burn up with unquenchable fire} (\katakausei puri
asbest•i\). Note perfective use of \kata\. The threshing floor,
the fan, the wheat, the garner, the chaff (\achuron\, chaff,
straw, stubble), the fire furnish a life-like picture. The "fire"
here is probably judgment by and at the coming of the Messiah
just as in verse 11. The Messiah "will thoroughly cleanse"
(\diakathariei\, Attic future of \-iz•\ and note \dia-\). He will
sweep from side to side to make it clean.
3:13 {Then cometh Jesus} (\tote paraginetai ho I•sous\). The same
historical present used in 3:1. He comes all the way from
Galilee to Jordan "to be baptized by him" (\tou baptisth•nai hupo
autou\). The genitive articular infinitive of purpose, a very
common idiom. The fame of John had reached Nazareth and the hour
has come for which Jesus has waited.
3:14 {Would have hindered} (\diek•luen\). Rather "tried to
prevent" as Moffatt has it. It is the conative imperfect. The two
men of destiny are face to face for the first time apparently.
The Coming One stands before John and he recognizes him before
the promised sign is given.
3:15 {To fulfil all righteousness} (\pl•r•sai p•san
dikaiosun•n\). The explanation of Jesus satisfies John and he
baptizes the Messiah though he has no sins to confess. It was
proper (\prepon\) to do so else the Messiah would seem to hold
aloof from the Forerunner. Thus the ministries of the two are
linked together.
3:16 {The Spirit of God descending as a dove} (\pneuma theou
katabainon h•sei peristeran\). It is not certain whether Matthew
means that the Spirit of God took the form of a dove or came upon
Jesus as a dove comes down. Either makes sense, but Luke (Lu
3:22) has it "in bodily form as a dove" and that is probably the
idea here. The dove in Christian art has been considered the
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